The background research done by the experimenters shows their concern over the fact that concussions in sports, especially football, are way too common and that for many players they leave behind devastating effects. In order to combat this, they propose their hypothesis as trying to find the safest starting sprint position for football players. The experiment consisted of analyzing physical and biochemical factors within the experimental group: 12 football players, and the control group: 13 non-football players. A stereophotogrammeritic system was used to measure motions within the subjects. The four point start (a position based on maximizing speed) was found to be the most dangerous because of the excess kinetic energy and lowered head height as two players excel towards the impact.
I believe that there were too many variables in this experiment. There were three types of starting positions and two types of players. The subjects who were not football players did not seem relevant to the experiment as it was designed to test the safest position for football players, who were trained in both aspects of speed and safety while the average man is not. I think the methods used in actually quantitating the data were innovative and effective, analyzing the points of contact by looking at actual subjects’ posture and body position in relation to their kinetic energy.
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This experiment is vital to American culture. There have been more and more reports of professional sports players sustaining injuries well after their retirement. Concussions especially are a very real and dangerous threat to players. I enjoy watching football and I have a huge appreciation for specific teams and players and I would be devastated if their safety was compromised. Football is a huge American pastime and football players are inspirations to many kids, so implementing safety features to address the public’s concerns and preserve this domain for future generations is a must.
